LID OPENING DEVICE

Abstract: A bin lifting arm (10) adapted to lift and invert a bin (4) having a hinged lid (9) over a discharge chute in a vehicle is provideed with a lid opening device in the form of a fluid jet arranged to impinge on the underside of the lid (9) remote from the hinge (10) to flip the lid open before or during the lifting operation.

Description: "LID OPENING DEVICE" TECHNICAL "FIELD The present invention relates to a lid lifting device for a bin lifter and has been devised particularly though not solely for use with an articulated lifting arm attached to a refuse collection vehicle for the lifting of refuse bins to be unloaded into the vehicle. BACKGROUND ART It is known to use vehicles for the collection of refuse or recyclable materials which are placed into large wheeled bins and left at the curbside or in any other similar locations for collection. An articulated arm is connected to the vehicle and is adapted to be engaged with the bin to lift the bin and invert the bin, discharging the contents into a hopper or shute in an upper part of the vehicle. The empty bin is then returned to ground level by the articulated arm. Many of the types of bins used for refuse collection are provided with lids which are hinged to the main body of the bin to enable the bin to be closed. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION The present invention provides a lid opening device for a bin lifter of the type having an articulated arm extending from a vehicle and being engageable with a bin to lift and invert the bin in order to discharge the contents into a part of the vehicle. The lid opening device comprises a source of fluid, fluid delivery means attached to the articulated arm mechanism and arranged to be in a position proximate the underside of the lid of the bin when the arm is engaged with the bin, the delivery means being adapted to deliver fluid to impinge on the underside of the bin lid with such a force as to cause the bin lid to open. The articulated arm mechanism is preferably designed to be used with a type of bin having an inverted flange which runs around the outside of the top of the bin and over which the lid closes. Preferably, the articulated arm mechanism comprises a comb which is arranged to engage the underside of the flange to assist in engagement of the mechanism with the bin. Preferably the flange is part of a lip that extends peripherally around the outside top opening of the bin. The fluid delivery means is preferably mounted adjacent to the comb, so that when the comb is engaged with the lip of the bin the fluid delivery means also sits underneath the lip of the bin. Holes are preferably provided in the lip of the bin to enable communication between the delivery means and the underside of the lid of the bin for the fluid. The fluid is preferably released under pressure from a hold back valve to be expelled from the delivery means forming a pressurised jet to impinge on the bin lid. Preferably, the fluid is released in response to a sensing mechanism which automatically senses when the articulated arm is correctly engaged with the bin, or is released a predetermined time after engagement has been sensed, or is released when it is sensed that the articulated arm is at a particular position. Alternatively, release of the fluid may be controlled manually by the operator of the vehicle. The present invention further provides a bin lifter of the type having an articulated arm mechanism extending from a vehicle and being engageable with a bin to lift and invert the bin to discharge the contents into a part of the vehicle, a method of opening the lid of the bin comprising the step of delivering a fluid jet to the underside of the bin lid with such a force as to cause the bin lid to open. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment thereof, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; Figure 1 is a side view of an articulated bin lifter arm, showing a bin engaged with the articulated arm in a partially raised position; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a lid opening device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a front view of a comb portion of the articulated arm of Figure 1 showing delivery devices mounted thereto for delivering fluid, and Figure 4 is a side view of the apparatus of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a front view of the lid opening device attached to the comb and partially showing the articulated arm, Figure 6 is a side view of Figure 5, and Figure 7 is a top view of an open bin preferred for use with the apparatus of the preceding Figures . MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Referring to Figures 2 to 6, reference numeral 1 indicates a delivery device for delivering a jet of air to the underside of a bin lid. The delivery device is attached to a comb 2 adapted to engage with the underside of a flange which runs around the outside of the top of the bin. On engagement of the comb 2 with the flange, compressed air is provided through the delivery means 1 to impinge on the underside of the bin lid and flip the bin lid open. In more detail, referring to Figure 1, an articulated lifter arm 10 is mounted to a vehicle, e.g. to the side of a collection truck by any suitable means but typically by way of a retractable boom 12 so that the base 3 of the arm can be moved outwardly from the side of the vehicle to a suitable position for engagement with a refuse or recyclable bin 4. The arm 10 typically has a number of pivotally engaged links operable by a hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly 5 so that the end portion 6 of the arm is movable between a retracted position where it can be engaged with a bin, and an elevated position where the bin is lifted and inverted for discharge into a rubbish collection vehicle. The upper arm portion 6 is typically provided with the ledge or comb 2 which may have a number of fragmented portions as shown in Figures 2 " through 5. The comb 2 is adapted to be engaged under a peripheral flange 8 extending around the upper portion of the bin 4 and downwardly from lip 8A. The bin also typically has a lid 9 hinged to the body of the bin around a hinge pin 10. The bin is typically of large capacity, e.g. 240 litres and is mounted on wheels 11. The outer arm portion 6 is also provided with at least one suction cup 14 which is connected to a vacuum line operated from the vehicle so that when the comb 2 is engaged under the flange 8 of the pin 4, vacuum is applied to the suction cup 14 causing the cup to be firmly engaged with the side of the bin for the lifting and inversion of the bin. In order to enable the bin lid 9 to be opened without the person having to get out of the vehicle and manually open the bin, a fluid delivery device and associated apparatus is provided as shown in Figures 2 to 5. Reference numeral A on Figure 1 indicates generally the area of engagement of the fluid delivery device when the arm 6 is engaged with the bin 4. Referring to Figures 2 through 5, the lid opening device comprises fluid delivery means 1, hold back valve 20 and accumulator 21. The accumulator 21 is connected to an air supply by means of hose 22 and air builds up in accumulator 21. A further hose 23 (or two hoses as shown in Figure 2) connects the accumulator 21 to the valve 20. A manifold 24 is connected to the valve 20 and a pair of pipes 25, 26 lead to the delivery means in the form of nozzles 1. In operation, when the comb is engaged with the flange 8 of the bin 4, the nozzles 1 lie proximate holes 30 provided in the lip 8A. These holes allow fluid from the nozzles 1 to impinge on the underside of the lid 9. When the comb 2 is engaged with the flange 8, the valve 20 releases a burst of air forming a jet of sufficient strength to flip the lid 9 open. Release of air from the valve 20 is controlled by a solenoid release (not shown * ) . Release may occur automatically, in response to a sensing means sensing engagement of the articulated arm with the bin or otherwise sensing a particular position of the articulated arm. Alternatively, the release of the air may be controlled manually from the cab of the vehicle, for example. The lid opening device of the present invention is particularly useful with the type of articulated arm mechanism which also includes a lid closure which moves to a position covering the bin when the lid is open and before the articulated arm is moved to tilt the bin upwards. Variations and modifications may be made in respect of the invention as above described and defined in the following statement of claim.

Claims: CLAIMS : - 1. A lid opening device " for a bin lifter of the type having an articulated arm extending from a vehicle and being engageable with a bin having a hinged lid to lift and invert the bin in order to discharge the contents into a part of the vehicle, the lid opening device comprising a source of fluid, fluid delivery means attached to the articulated arm mechanism and arranged to be in a position proximate the underside of the lid of the bin when the arm is engaged with the bin, the delivery means being adapted to deliver fluid to impinge on the underside of the bin lid with such a force as to cause the bin lid to open. 2. A lid opening device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the articulated arm mechanism is provided with a comb which is engageable under a flange around the upper periphery of the bin, and said delivery means is mounted adjacent said comb so that when the comb is engaged with a lip of the bin the delivery means is proximate at least one hole provided in the lip of the bin through which the fluid can pass to impinge on the underside of the lid. 3. A lid opening device in accordance with claim 1 or 2, the lid opening device further comprising a hold back valve communicating with the delivery means and arranged to release a high pressure pulse of fluid through the delivery means when provided with an appropriate signal. 4. A lid opening device in accordance with claim 3 , further comprising means for determining when the articulated arm mechanism is correctly engaged with the bin and means responsive to the means for sensing to provide an appropriate signal to the hold back valve. 5. In a bin lifter of the type having an articulated arm mechanism extending from a vehicle and being engageable with a bin having a hinged lid to lift and invert the bin to discharge- the contents into a part of the vehicle, a method of opening the lid of the bin comprising the step of delivering a fluid jet to the underside of the bin lid with such a force as to cause the bin lid to open. 6. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the lid is connected to the bin by a hinge at one side of the upper periphery of the bin, and the fluid jet is delivered to the underside of the bin lid at a position remote from the hinge. 7. A method in accordance with claim 5, comprising the further step of sensing when the articulated arm mechanism is engaged with the bin and in response to the sensing causing the automatic release of the fluid jet to impinge on the underside of the bin lid.

Inventors: HICKEY COLIN JOSEPH, HICKEY, COLIN, JOSEPH
Applicants: HICKEY COLIN JOSEPH, HICKEY, COLIN, JOSEPH
Application year: 1994
Main classification: B65F3
IPC codes: B65F3